This exam tips covers Exam Tips & Common Errors within The 50-word task: photo and sentences for GCSE French. Revise The 50-word task: photo and sentences in Writing: 50, 90 and 150 Words + Translation into French for GCSE French with 15 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 4 of 4 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.
💡 Exam Tips & Common Errors
- Read all four bullets before you write a single word — plan one idea per bullet in your head first
- Number your bullets mentally as you go — tick off each one so you never accidentally skip one
- If you forget a word, paraphrase: cannot remember piscine? Write l'endroit où on nage — paraphrase still earns the communication mark
- Do not repeat vocabulary — using the same adjective four times hurts your accuracy score
- Gender agreement matters for accuracy marks: un ami / une amie, il est allé / elle est allée
- Spell-check your key verbs: j'ai mangé not j'ai manger — the past participle must be correct
❌ Common error: Writing a long paragraph about your opinion of weekends and then running out of time — only two bullets addressed at 90 words.
✓ Correct: Write one sentence per bullet first. Once all four are covered, go back and expand if time allows.
Why it costs marks: Each missed bullet loses exactly 1 communication mark. Two missed bullets = 2 marks gone before the accuracy mark is even considered. Coverage before depth, always.
Practice questions for The 50-word task: photo and sentences
How many marks in total is the 50-word writing task worth on AQA French Paper 4?
How many communication marks does each bullet point carry in the 50-word task?